High Standard Supermatic .22 short

I have an opportunity to buy a High Standard Supermatic in .22 short.  Just one magazine, no box or other accessories.  Condition is virtually new looking except for a touch of blue wear right at the end of the compensated barrel.  

I'm hesitant.  it's not a cheap gun.  

I've also struggled with High Standards, especially when it came to finding magazines that worked. 

I still have nearly a full case of Fiocchi Golden Match ammo in .22 short.  It's probably the lowest power .22 short that I've ever found.  Does anyone have an idea whether it will cycle the High Standard?  I believe the High Standard had an aluminum slide to lighten it but I don't know if it will cycle a REALLY light round. 

Does anyone have any experience with this pistol or any comments they'd offer in my decision making.  I'm looking at $750-800 to buy it.

I've seen it but I don't have any photos.  Sorry.

Thanks,

I'm not familia with using short ammo in the HS. But to my knowledge all HS slides are steel. It's possible you might need to shorten mainspring a coil if it doesn't cycle your ammo.
Jon

I didn't get enough opportunity to examine the slide.  I do know that some High Standards had Aluminum slides and that's what I was told.  I found this web-page that seems to confirm that.

https://bluebookofgunvalues.com/Gun_Values/Gun_Manufacturer_Models.aspx?id=HIGH_STANDARD_PISTOLS_SEMI_AUTO_LEVER_LETTER_SERIES

(Scroll down to the Olympic G-O)

Some ads describe this pistol as having an "alloy" slide... whatever that actually means.

I do have an old Walther Olympia in .22 short.  It has an aluminum slide (I'm certain) and that was a common way to lighten the slide back then (1936).  Off the topic, I have one magazine for it and I've never been able to find another... in the US or Germany.

If you are buying it as a collector piece, that's great. I wouldn't buy one of those to use as a shooter. I've not had ANY luck with Hi-Standards in .22 short shooting tight groups, even at 50 feet.

Forty some years ago, I used short HS in Gallery a lot.  Short shooter High Standards do have aluminum slides.  Rather soft alloy BTW.  Real high mileage guns will have mushrooming at the breech, slide stop, extractor, where the hammer hits the firing pin and probably a dimple in the slide face where the rim ride up.  And maybe the firing pin hole will be worn larger.  Short guns are generally not as accurate as long rifle models, especially compensated ones. 

But they are fun to shoot.  I still have only a Military Citation short kit with 4 five round mags, and about a case of CCI Target shorts.  Probably never will use shorts again.

If you shoot a lot indoors it might be a good training tool or indoor league gun.  Otherwise it's too specialized to get much value.  I'm not even sure the Olympic shooters shooters still shoot shorts in the rapid fire events.

International Rapid Fire Pistol now requires Long Rifle cartridges.  I see a lot of Pardini pistols used now in Olympics. 

I just looked at NRA rules
3.4 .22 Caliber Pistol or Revolver - Any pistol (single shot
or semi-automatic) or revolver chambered for .22 caliber rim-fire long rifle may be used;...

And CMP
The pistol must be chambered for the .22 cal. rimfire long rifle cartridge.
.22 Rimfire Pistol. Rimfire Pistol competitors may use only .22 cal.
rimfire long rifle ammunition with bullets weighing not more than 40
grains.

Not much use for shorts anymore, except for boxers and briefs.

Good responses about the dedicated .22 short Hi Standard pistols. Another thing to consider is that, in general, target .22 short ammo isn't easy to find and I suspect it will be harder now that it isn't used in international matches any longer.

As was said the slide for the shorts was alloy. Not much use for them, but they are fun to shoot. I have a short setup for my old 103, and its fun to play with. Finding ammo is tough, but I have a ton of old stock I use. Its tough finding mags also. If you do they are costly. As far as grouping...  Im not one to ask...  in my hands it groups the same as my 22LR setup..  Really unless your a collector, or just want something different, id pass.

Extensive testing shooting several .22 short pistols in the 1960's was done, with the results published in Gun Digest. The .22 shorts did not shoot as good as .22 long rifle.

Had the top of the aluminum slide milled off on the old 22 short kit i sold. Used it for ISU rapid fire back in the old days.  I would not buy another 22 short.

Realize this is a very old post but, for what it's worth, you can use a steel slide with a 22 Short barrel on a High Standard Supermatic Citation as long as you use the 22 Short High Velocity ammo like either CCI 22 Short Target 29 grain Copper-Plated Round Nose ammo (1080 FPS) or CCI 22 Short Varmint 27 grain Copper-Plated Hollow Point ammo (1105 FPS).

Both will cycle the steel slide with no problems at all and I've found both to be extremely accurate in my High Standard Supermatic Citation.

As noted previously, the aluminum alloy slide is somewhat fragile and will simply not hold up with a lot of use.

Yesterday, someone at my range offered to sell me a "High Standard 22 Short Conversion Kit" for $300.  After reading through this discussion, I decided to pass on it, until I found that last response.

The kit might well be worth the cost to a collector, but I doubt I have any use for it, and I suspect by the time I find 22 Short Ammo, I'll have retired from shooting.  As for Olympics - no way, but what I read up above, it's no longer legal there.  Are there any reasons why I should buy it?

Also, if I got it, it would go on a 103 Sharpshooter frame - not sure it would even fit.

Unless someone here convinces me otherwise, I think I'm just going to tell him thanks, but no thanks.

I would love to buy a .22 Short Conversion Kit for my Hamden Victor. $300.00 is a steal compared to what I have seen them going for. Do you know if it is still available?

Bob

It may or may not be for a Victor - we are supposed to discuss it this coming week.  If it works on my 103, that might be interesting too, as that gun is mostly just sitting here.

I may or may not pass on it - or I may buy it to try it.

It might be "a steal" for a collector, but it also might be a "waste of $300" for  shooting.  I dunno.

I still have the Military Citation short kit maybe 20+ years now.  It is probably 19+ years since I shot it on my 106 Trophy.  Also have 1-2 cases of CCI 22 Target shorts taking up shelf space.  Any interest?.

Jack H wrote:I still have the Military Citation short kit maybe 20+ years now.  It is probably 19+ years since I shot it on my 106 Trophy.  Also have 1-2 cases of CCI 22 Target shorts taking up shelf space.  Any interest?.

In the small chance that the kit being offered to me will work on one of my guns, and I actually buy it, I would certainly be interested.  I'll know more next week.
I guess the ammo should still be good - no idea how you could ship it to me though.  Does it need a "hazmat" fee?

Jack, 

Isn't the Victor the same frame as the Military? IF so, I would be interested in the Short Kit.

Bob

Jack, I may be interested in the 22 short rounds, but not the kit.  If someone else wants it, go ahead with them - and I won't know for at least a week if I want the rounds, so don't hold onto them if someone else is interested.  

I have no idea why I want this kit, and lots of reasons why is should not get it.

I am still interested in the kit and could live without the rounds as I have quite an inventory or .22 Shorts

rkittine wrote:I am still interested in the kit and could live without the rounds as I have quite an inventory or .22 Shorts

If you want, send me a PM with your contact information, and I'll pass it on to the seller, unless I suddenly decide to buy it anyway.  I don't know if it would fit on my Victor, but I have no desire to change anything on my Victor - I want to keep it the way I got it from Roddy.  I've also got a 103 Sharpshooter that might work with it - if so, I might get it anyway.  My 103 is modified from the original, so I'm not messing up a "classic".

Is there any way to know if it will fit, without actually trying to do so?  Are there any markings on them, to say what gun they are for?

mikemyers wrote:...My 103 is modified from the original, so I'm not messing up a "classic".
...

The short kit won't mess anything up. It's just a barrel, slide, and magazine. You can swap from 22LR to 22 Short in about 20 seconds. And back again in another 20 seconds.

But will this fit on my Victor? 

rkittine at sign aol dot com or cell 631 then 374 and ending in 9652

Bob

OK
My short kit is on Commercial Row